Baby Steps
by XxLadyStrengthxX
Summary: Not satisfied with the story Aria gave him and Jason when pushing them out the door, Ezra walks back inside to confront her...but he ends up being the one doing the convincing, as baby steps are certainly all they need to take at the moment. - Ezria 2x07!


**A/N: I had to do this; there was no way in hell Ezra didn't walk back into that house! D: Writing this right after the episode, because someone might be doing the same exact thing. Ezra's POV, 'cause I've taken a liking to it.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing – straight to the point.**

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><p>Being pushed out the door without so much as a 'goodbye' kind of shocked me – I was baffled, even. Her explanation was rushed, with words spewing out of her mouth as if they were a waterfall plummeting over a cliff. Something was terribly wrong; it was written all over her face. It didn't take the role of being her boyfriend to realize her breathing was staggered and her natural wide eyes opened to the size of saucers. Hell, Jason DiLaurentis even took note of it and, as far as I know, they're only acquainted though Ali and their mothers.<p>

I swear, she was sweating, and that's a sight I normally never see. Whatever happened during the short amount of time Jason and I attempted to converse must've shaken her to the core. It was her _own house_ and Aria Montgomery seemed terrified at the idea of even having guests in it.

On a regular basis, the Montgomery family members – albeit Mike, because I can't even remember a time in which I uttered two words to the guy – are friendly, welcoming people. Two seconds after meeting Aria's mother, I was told that calling her 'Ella' was purely innocent and that they were nothing but an open group of individuals.

However, knowing Aria they way I do, she seems to be the best at keeping a secret; obviously, since our entire _relationship_ is kept on the most extreme down low.

Nevermind that, though; the point is that Aria had witnessed something while alone in the upstairs of her home, and didn't even bother giving me an explanation.

After muttering a 'nice to meet you' to Jason DiLaurentis, I watched him stroll down the sidewalk and over to his car, during which I had begun taking a few steps back toward the front porch. _Baby steps_ seemed to be the key word of the night, as they were what Aria and I had planned on taking at this dinner. They were also what I was trying to do sneakily up the wooden steps without drawing any attention from the _other_ guest of the night.

"You okay?" I heard Jason's voice yell from his place inside his car.

I swiftly turned in the direction of the street once more. "Yeah!" I lied. _Damn, spending so much time with Aria can really affect a guy. _"I think I left my keys inside; you go on, though. Have a nice night!"

Jason gave a half-hearted smile in consideration. "See you around."

"You too," I answered back with just as much enthusiasm. It was then that the elder DiLaurentis sibling drove away down the silent neighborhood street, leaving me alone to confront Aria about her strange behavior.

Without even the slightest hint of hesitation, I opened the door quickly to find the downstairs area to be empty. My glass of scotch and Jason's cup of coffee were untouched on the table, probably leaving rings on the wood from the condensation. The Montgomery home was just as quiet as the rest of the houses surrounding it, and there wasn't even the slightest trace that Aria remained downstairs after slamming the door behind us.

She was in such a rush to not even consider locking the door once alone.

A rustle coming from above caused my head to shoot up, darting my eyes immediately to the staircase directly in front of me. Careful not to make noise and startle Aria, I climbed each step, trying not to press too much weight into my foot while doing so. As always, there happened to be the one, squeaky board to ruin the secrecy of my presence.

The noise, which was becoming clearer every step I advanced, suddenly came to an abrupt stop. I held my breath and froze in place; Aria knew she was no longer by herself.

"Hello?" she asked timidly, with fear evident in her tone. Her voice carried through the hall, but her location was in Mike's room. _What was with Mike, lately?_ "Who's there?"

I stiffened at the sound of her knees popping – an indication that she was beginning to stand and exit out into the hallway. Heels clicking roughly against the hardwood flooring, she rounded the corner with one of Mike's lacrosse sticks, or crosse, tightly gripped into her small hands. Her features softened momentarily at the sight of my position at the top of the stairs, but changed right back to a scowl before speaking. "Ezra," she hissed, lowering the crosse to her side. "What are you doing here?"

Feeling safe enough to move again, I placed one foot at the top of the staircase where Aria stood and hoisted myself right next to her. "I was checking on you; you seemed a bit out of place when you practically kicked Jason and me out."

Feeling a deep need to remain stubborn, Aria stuck with her original story. "My parents will be home with Mike in any minute, and I don't think it will be pretty; you probably wouldn't want to see any of it." She turned her back to me and dragged herself back towards her little brother's room. However, when at the door, she simply tossed the piece of sporting equipment onto his bed, then continued moving in the direction of her own room.

Aria peered over her shoulder to look me in the eyes. I hadn't followed her, but I hadn't left like she suggested either. "I need more," I pressed. If she got to be vague, then so did I.

She sighed heavily. "It's not the first time Mike has done this," Aria explained painfully. "Even after agreeing with my pleading for him to stop, he just gets right back into it."

I listened intently as she leaned her head against her doorframe. Though she was remotely far from me, I could easily see the tears pricking at her eyes, challenging her to let them run down her cheeks in uneven streaks.

I took crying as my cue to rush to her side and wrap her in my arms, which Aria immediately relaxed into. Although, she failed at holding back her sobs by letting herself completely give out and screaming into my chest. "Just when I thought my family was going back to some sort of normalcy! Something _always _has to go wrong; someone _always _has to get hurt!"

I only hugged her harder while pressing light kisses to her hairline. Shushing her quietly and running my fingers down her spine seemed to work as a means of calming her screams, but the violent shakes never ceased.

Aria Montgomery wasn't an avid crier, but the unfolding scene influenced me into thinking otherwise.

I kept a secure hold around her waist as I guided her down back to the living room slowly, and Aria never once protested at my actions. Her screams had subsided into small whimpers that she often had to choke down or hiccup. Sitting down on the couch I had retired to the majority of the night, I enveloped her into my embrace once more. Aria responded by grasping the back of my neck with her left hand and bundling the collar of my button-down in her right.

She nestled her head into the crook of my neck, though hiding her face in my skin. Contemplating on whether to speak or not, I knitted my eyebrows together in frustration. The words accidentally slipped through my lips, "You wanna tell me more?"

Aria nodded furiously, wiping her now fresh tears across the middle section of my neck. "So much, but not tonight," she muffled.

"Baby steps," I reminded her gently, attempting to smooth her hair with the tips of my fingers. "Take all the time you want."

Before I had the chance to lift her chin and kiss her worries away, the front door burst open and a fuming teenage boy marched up the steps loudly. "Michael Montgomery, we're _not_ finished discussing this!" Byron yelled at the top of his lungs.

Aria tightened her grip around me and forced her forehead as far as it would go into the base of my collarbone. Byron's words brought back the burning memory, eliciting more cries and sobs from her lips, which caught the attention of her still angry parents.

Ella and Byron stared at their teenage daughter in the arms of her former English teacher, balling like she had the night Ali's body was discovered. Only the Montgomery's and I were aware of that break-down – which lasted into the late hours of the night – not even her friends.

The expressions they held worried me, and I began patting Aria's back in a friendly, comforting matter. Aria must've noticed my change in demeanor and choked out a whisper, "Ezra, hold me, _please_."

Still getting the feel of awkward tension surrounding the room, I obediently obliged and rubbed circles on the small of her back with as much innocence I could pull off. Glancing back at her parents, I tugged the ends of my mouth into a small, apologetic smile. Much to my surprise, their previous features of anger and furiousness had vanished into ones of relief and gratefulness.

Byron nodded in his way of appreciation, then moped out of the living room to the stairs in search of Mike. Ella returned my grin and mouthed a light 'thank you'. My guess is that neither could collect enough energy to deal with both of their children at the moment, and were momentarily desperate. Any other family would've taken the picture of a sixteen-year-old girl in the loving and comforting arms of a grown man as an assault, but not the Montgomery's.

I knew there was a reason I liked them so much.

They're _understanding_.

When Ella excused herself and retreated out of ear shot, I kissed Aria's temple lovingly. "You're right; baby steps are all it takes."

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><p><strong>AN: I didn't want a fight. Ezria has WAY too many of those. I just wanted SOMETHING out of this episode that could lead to Ella and Byron finally finding out! But no, Mike had to go and break into someone's house...again. Gr.**

**I wanted love from Ezra and understanding from the parents, so hopefully this is good enough. **

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**XxLadyStrengthxX**


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